The police are taking statements. All the crooks are turned in by Brian and afterwards, he takes the young master out of the university with a full convoy. Ryan tries to argue that it's not necessary but Brian is helpless about this. "This is Hiddle's direct order."
Previously, before he left, Ryan had a chat with George Stacy and Gwen. "Thank you son for helping my daughter ." Captain George Stacy said. he is thankful for Ryan, but he now has to settle the crooks and find out exactly who targeted his daughter.
"I just did what I thought was right" Ryan just nodded to it. He feels tired. Not by fighting but the questions afterward. Like" how do you know Gwen was targeted? Do you take a self defence class? " and many more. Even Brian questions him about his action and fighting skills. He just wants to go home and pop open some beer now.
Gwen is comforted by some police officers at the time. Ryan saw that and feels lazy to deal with the aftermath. He sneaks away to the Suv ,which is driven to his house in Brooklyn.
"Wait, what about my car?", he asked. "I'll bring it over later." Brian said. It took a lot of convincing to make sure that Hiddle doesn't take him back to the Manor. He reluctantly accepted some condition such as to never engage without backup, or never engage at all. "Just run away, like Dana did"
After Ryan sneaked away, Gwen was sitting in her father's police car. She was talking to her father's partner before he became a captain.
George comes over and says " Your friend already went home Gwen."
"He is not my friend ", as she says these words, she thought maybe after today she can become friends with Ryan . Her opinion about him sleeping in class and cheating still doesn't change. But she didn't dislike him anymore.
There's a sense of camaraderie born especially after a high risk situation. For her, Ryan has no motive to save her, but he still did it anyway. She is thankful for that. She wants to text him to say thanks, but then she realises she didn't have his number.
Ryan goes home and takes a shower. For him, saving Gwen is extremely opposite of his personality. He takes his mind off it by watching some anime.
Kinda anticlimactic, for those who yearn for heroes saving the beauty cliche, fall in love and so on. For him, that only exists in fairy tales. He spent a few days doing nothing before the next trade session came.
[Thursday : Group chat.]
Vampire Kid: that's the protagonist syndrome kid. Like you transmigrate somewhere, and it's up to you to save people or shit.
The doctor : I do agree with @VampireKid on this one. You made a bad decision, kid.
Queenelf: I think that kind of sweet.
Retired mechanic: Just smoke them next time. Leave no future enemy. There won't be an archenemy if people would just kill them.
Mythic :... Don't be a hero kid. You need to realise that you are in the real world now. Not some fantasy.
Mythic pov.
"Another one with hero syndrome," he thought. "I wonder how long he can survive there". For Mythic, he has watched and interacted with a lot of people in the trading system.
Hot-headed, brash fools will always die early on. He feels like Ryan is going the same way. While thinking, he lit up a cigarette, and took a puff.
He still remembers a kid by then named bat squad, whose last chat is to fight the joker.The kid is active in the chat, really naive, and has a kind heart. He then becomes offline forever.
He watched many people come and go here. He now had the system for more than 5 years. Not many people can climb through authority because they lost their life feeling overconfident. "The system is not omnipotent, please realise that".
He wants to yell at all those kids who lost their lives. They could just trade here. They will not automatically become overpowered, become a god or else.
In the real world, there is no protagonist halo like in a story, in which the mc always saves his life, always wins a fight, always in luck.
Mythic tries to guide newbies here, he wants them to at least save their life. Even now he's mad at Ryan. Maybe his action will have a snowball effect.
"What if the crooks that he fights have a Superpowered boss that seeks revenge. What if he becomes entangled in a conspiracy" . And many more what if. He bombarded the chat trying to make the kid realise. And it's also because of his fear. To lose someone close to him..again.
Ryan POV
"Boy Mythic sure is mad " Ryan thought as he saw Mythic continuous typing. He doesn't regret saving Gwen. But he did regret taking stupid action like fighting the crooks.
Hydra : alright I will not try to be a hero anymore. But if I saw it myself and can do something about it, I won't hesitate to do that.
The doctor : just use a clone kid. You can play a hero all you like! No consequences.
Mythic : don't encourage him doc.!
VampireKid: Do you like the girl Hydra? Is that why you saved her?
Queenelf : intrigued.gif
Hydra :you can send a gif here?
Queenelf: higher authority kid, higher authority.
Hydra : I don't actually, although she is pretty, I'm pretty sure she hates me.
Ryan thought," I don't know if she still hates me though, but my instinct told me if I say that, I will get more lectures from Mythic."
He talks some more in the group chat. In this world, he always feels tired when he has to deal with other people. Continuous questioning and conversation is exhausting. But if he had 24 hour time everyday to trade, he was sure he could continue chatting in the group.
While chatting, Ryan browses some items by making the group chat in a small window panel. He was laughed at by VampireKid when he said he misses trading time just for chatting.
Now that he has learned the parallel thinking skills, it's easier for him to split his consciousness, doing two things at the same time.
When Ryan is browsing, a new name pops out in the chat
Mephisto : Who's the marvel kid?
Hydra : hello senior. That's me.
Mephisto : Nice to meet you kid, make sure you don't die early. Becomes like me, a survivor.
Hydra: I'll try my best.
He talks to Mephisto in a personal chat. He then learns that the Mephisto version of the marvel world is in the 15th century. Ryan is excited. Mephisto's world variation is that Kamar Taj does interfere in the secular world.
In the 15th century the Ancient One became an Overlord and unified the world. After that, human society achieves industrial revolution, making the 15th century like the 2000s millennium.
Surprisingly, most characters of the comic were born during this time instead of waiting for the year 2000s or the 19th century. The mutants are treated like a normal human. Many become heroes of the masses.
The world didn't have to fear an internal threat as the sorcerer protects the earth and no government makes some restriction law for the sake of controlling superheroes.
Ryan learns many alternate versions of history from Mephisto. He is pretty excited about it. He gives Ryan some tips as to how to control your identity from the sorcerers, What you should take note of when dealing with Asgardian and many more. Mephisto gave him some advice, but it was the opposite of what Mythic preached.
Mephisto philosophy is "Make sure you don't have any regret", "if you want to save people, just do it, want to become a villain, just do it. You have a rare second chance in life, why should you waste it."
He does share some of his life experiences, some which makes Ryan want to punch him in the face across dimensions. That bastard social life is very messy. He doesn't know how many girls have been corrupted by him.
At the same time, he topped up his knowledge reserve in the elementary level. Then, he stares at the hot item categories, refreshing the screen to try to get new items.
Mythic said that some item was so rare that it sold out the moment it was put on sale. Ryan now still needed his magic circuit skills. He got some magic knowledge, tomes and grimoires but he can't do anything from it as he doesn't have the source of magic.
He continues his action, but at the last moment, he manages to get new content in the hot page, in which he buys it directly without checking it.
Betraying his excitement, he doest know whether to laugh or to cry about the item. He got the item : [ magic scroll : tier 1] an item scroll enchanted with a notice-me-not charm, making everyone around you don't notice you. Magic will last for a day or if it is cancelled by the user.
Time is up for today's trade. He got some new items such as a mini spider drone. (a drone that looks like a spider), a ham and egg grass plant from toriko's world,some rare liquor, and many more miscellaneous items.
Next week on Tuesday, he took two more exams. "There's no Gwen this time" he thought. He just breezed through it today. After the last one tomorrow, he will get 3 months off for summer vacation.
On Wednesday, Ryan wakes up in a good mood. He cooked the ham and egg grass, it tasted heavenly, and put on a white collared dress shirt, with a black pants and black shoes. Louis Vouiton belt and a rolex watch.
He planned to go to the Knights company after the exam. He already told his father about it. He drove off in his sports car, arriving at the university at 8.30 am. He walks to the exam hall, in which he sees Gwen is talking to her friend in front of the exam hall.
He feels awkward, so he tries to stay out of eye contact, and gets out of sight when suddenly "Hey Ryan '' Gwen calls him from behind him.
Ryan, who is still wearing a black mask, greeted Gwen reluctantly. " Morning Gwen," he said. "Why are you running off when you see me?" Gwen asks straightforwardly. She is a bit sad when he sees Ryan run off when he sees her. " I just thought I'll be awkward." Ryan said.
He didn't lie, he really thought i'll be awkward. Gwen notices this and her mood is lifted. " Just because you save me, doesn't mean that I'll fawn over you or anything. But you did run off that day without me thanking you, so don't run off today." Gwen said.
Ryan's heart skipped a beat, it's not that he thinks Gwen likes him or anything, but Gwen directly cut off his running route, making it impossible for him to get away from it." Your exam finished at noon right, I'll treat you to lunch as a thank you afterward." Gwen said.
It was not a negotiation, Ryan had to go because she doesn't know whether she will see him again next semester. " Give me your number, I'll text you after I finish my exam." Ryan said defeatedly. He took out his smartphone, which instantly attracted Gwen's attention.
She asked, " What phone is this? , what brand? , it's so pretty". Ryan smiles and says " this is a smartphone." Gwen asked what the smartphone is, she knows about smartphones but Ryan's doesn't look anything like it.
" Of course you haven't seen it. It's the only one in the world." Ryan grinned. He bought it from the system shop, maybe in a few years smart technology will be released, but now, he's the sole owner of a smartphone.
Gwen looks at him suspiciously. She can't help it, he sounds too much like a scammer. After finishing the exam, they go and have lunch together.
At first it was awkward for him, but now, Gwen's is gradually becoming his friend. The first one in this unfamiliar world. They talk about a lot of things. Gwen does question and makes fun of Ryan for sleeping in class, and his previous behaviour, in which Ryan fabricated some lies.
" Also Ryan, why do you wear a mask?" asked Gwen. "Just in crowded places, it's a habit of mine," Ryan answers. "You didn't wear a mask before, when did this become a habit? You know a habit took a long time to form right?" Gwen asks in a doubtful tone.
He cough out his drink. "Nevermind that, has your father said anything?" he skirts the question as he couldn't answer that it was a habit during the Coronavirus era in his previous world right?
Luckily Gwen bit his bait. "My dad caught the baldies leader before. He want to get revenge. Now, the entire group had been torn down by my dad.", she said proudly. "The police captain?"
"No, he's a police capt…", Gwen stopped as she got embarrassed. She thought he'd call her father officer again. Ryan tries to hold his laughter, but he gives out immediately . "Hahaha"